Hi guys, i've been reading your forum for a long time (though not participating actively) and wish to thank everyone for their valuable contribution. However, in hindsight, i am surprised that this phone model has never been mentioned here or on other PWM-related websites. I am extremely PWM sensitive (can detect even 3.000hz PWM) and this phone has been perfect for me for 2 years already. When looking the phone library on GSM arena, i realized it was the only phone with: \- High resolution/high contrast IPS screen with no PWM \- OIS camera (same Sony sensor still used on Zenfone 9, it has one of the highest marks for night shots on sensors ranking) \- Headphone jack with DTS \- FM radio \- Compact size \- Stereo speakers \- Tons of gestures and customizations \- Expandable memory (2TB) While the Zenfone 5 is already barely sufficient, the 5z model still has decent enough performance and 6/8GB of RAM (it's still quite powerful by today's standards), its GPU not much behind even the current flagships. The only other phone that seemed to match the bill was the LG ThinkQ 7, but after wanting to buy it i saw that it suffers both from flickering and from an WRGB sub-matrix, making colors extremely unnatural and eye straining, besides having a curved screen. Then i tried the Moto G54 but returned it due to extreme reflectiveness and strange 'motion/sickness' feeling when looking at the screen, supposedly due to the Miracast technology. So i went back to the Zenfone 5z. Not only returned, but went to Taiwan to buy all the remaining new ones i could find. I'm honestly surprised this phone hasn't been given any attention by the PWM community. This phone was pretty much ahead of its time and could still be a decent daily driver for the next 2-3 years at least and way better than the budget IPS phones that we're getting as a compromise on Android. Its screen is very similar to the iPhone 11, but with a higher resolution (and it's much faster as well). All in all, the best phones ever seem to have been made between 2018-2020. For anyone who's interested in getting one (i have both new and second hand) please contact me by Telegram **boreal_mind** or on the forum. Have a nice day. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWPBmCRm_pQ

What Android version do you have?

@"pavelbures"#p40733 It uses Android 10 (official) or up to Android 15 Lineage OS22.

Yes, but Asus does not offer bootloader unlocking anymore :(

@"pavelbures"#p40841 Yes, it does on this model.

Asus Zenfone 5/5z - The best IPS flagship ever made

DisplaysShouldNotBeTVs

Cirrus2709 Its screen is very similar to the iPhone 11

Hmm, the iPhone 11 does not work for me at all, and IPS screens in general give me problems

Only three IPS panels are "decent" to me: an LG panel in a 2012 Lenovo laptop — that weirdly I can't recreate, tried buying a second one with supposedly identical OS and Panel ID, yet it was much worse than my original. 5 other LG IPS I tried in other laptops were unusable for me too. The second one is the JDI IPS used in early 2017 Nintendo Switch systems which I'd also call adequate. Third is a BOE IPS in Xiaomi Redmi 3, but only usable with LineageOS for some reason, and still has some harshness to it.

But even then, those do cause strain at times — compared to a few TN/VA screens I've found since then that are miles better than those. No IPS has ever been "100% strain-free" for me.

For someone like me, do you think this phone is still worth trying, or should I just keep waiting for e.g. more e-ink phones to release?

Cirrus2709

DisplaysShouldNotBeTVs I my personal case (and i'm very picky) this is the only phone that works. I could discern PWM up to 3000hz. Here i can look at the screen for hours on without any tiredeness. Besides the flickering issue, lot of it has to do with 'screen depth', reflectiveness and colour temperature. This thing has a light colour sensor and the saturation and huge can be tweaked manually, as well as the colours. All this things put together make it the most eye friendly phone i ever had.

moonpie

,,,,,,,,,

Cirrus2709

moonpie

They aged pretty well. Still using one. There is no flickering that i've been able to measure on any brighteness level with any tools. Zenfone 6 had flicker bellow 58%.

bz12

I have the Zenfone 5z in a drawer that I'm unable to use. I've tried numerous things to get it comfortable, but for me it's still unusable.

Cirrus2709

bz12 Then i suppose the issue is not with the phone.

What phone are you using now?

bz12

Cirrus2709 I don't have a comfortable phone. The only device I'm comfortable with and can use for hours is the Amazon Fire HD 10 Plus (2021) running FireOS 7, which is based on Android 9.

reaganry

asus zenphone 5 (a006) not good for me and only android 10

Cirrus2709

reaganry That is an entirely different model.

miripump

Cirrus2709

linear or circular polarised?

Cirrus2709

miripump There is no polarization at all from what i know.

jordan

Cirrus2709 All lcds must use polarization otherwise it only will display a white screen with nothing else displayed. Its probably linear

Cirrus2709

Selling on Etsy now, please contact directly to ask for a lower price:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/4310261620/asus-zenfone-health-mobile-pwm-free

Cirrus2709

I've tried recently using some budget Xiaomi IPS phones, however no luck. While they have no flickering, they can't match the contrast and colour depth of the Asus model.

K-Moss

Cirrus2709 Who cares about contrast and color depth... what are you using the screen for? If you're just using it to waste time may as well help yourself with a dumb phone. I use my machines for productivity and couldn't care less about things like color depth. I just want comfort. I get full and beautiful color depth in the real world. The screens are to help me get things done.